i*J 


W 


NOTE-BOOK  NO.  1, 

OF  THE 


BLOOMINGTON,  ILLINOIS, 
1914. 


W 


/I*''1 
" 


-W1 

W 


NOTE-BOOK  NO.  I, 

OF  THE 

KIGKAPOO  GLUB. 

BLOOMINGTON,  ILLINOIS, 
1914. 


B  •  X-  SI'.      '-38 


The  articles  shown  herein  are  one  bronze  and  steel-edged 
tomahawk  blade,  found  at  the  site  of  Kickapoo  Fort  in  Section  5, 
West  Township,  McLean  Co.  111.,  by  Mark  Piper,  one  granite 
hatchet  made  from  a  discarded  discoidal  hammer-stone  (or  dis- 
coidal  ham  ner-stone  made  from  a  discarded  hatchet,  which?) 
and  one  flint  drill,  both  found  by  S.  W.  Le  Neve,  at  Kingfisher 
Hill,  Menard  County,  111.  The  five  smaller  potsherds  beneath 
these  were  also  found  by  Mark  Piper,  at  Kingfisher  Hill. 

The  two  perpendicular  rows    of  stamped  and    rouletted  pots- 
herds on  each  side  of  this  group  were  found  at  an  ancient  camp- 
site on  the  south  bluff  of  the  Sangamon  river,  on  the  Center  Farm, 
o_  in  the  north  part  of  Menard  Co.  111.,  by  Mr.    E.    H.    Hamilton    and 
1  —    are    now    in     the    collection    of  the   McLean     County    Historical 
"  Si   Society-  M.  C. 

— J   vo 


"Help  Save  the  Great  Cahokia  Jfound" 


By  C.  H.  Robinson,  Normal,  Illinois. 

On  April  20th,  1913,  an  enthusiastic  party  of  Bloomington  and 
Normal  men  made  an  archaeological  expedition  to  the  great  Cahokia 
mound  group  in  Southern  Illinois,  which  is  located  in  Madison  and 
St.  Clair  counties,  about  two  miles  east  of  the  corporate  limits  of  East 
St.  Louis,  Illinois.  The  location  is  easily  accessible  by  way  of.  the 
new  hard  road  or  by  the  St.  Louis  and  Collinsville  electric  system, 

The  great  Cahokia,  or  better  know  as  Monk's  Mound,  together 
with  many  smaller  mounds  are  located  on  a  204  acre  farm  belonging 
to  the  Hon.  T.  T.  Ramey's  heirs.  This  farm  is  situated  in  the 
most  picturesque  and  richest  part  of  the  famous  "American  bot- 
toms." Land  which  is  so  fertile  that  even  the  aborigines  raised 
much  with  but  little  effort  and  which  no  doubt  led  to  the  location  and 
construction  here  of  the  largest  earth  mound  ever  built  by  primitive 
man,  the  great  pyramid  of  Cheops  in  Egypt  or  the  Aztec  temple  mound 
of  Mexico  excepted.  Monk's  mound  covers  more  ground  than  any 
pyramid  of  Egypt.  Cheops  is  but  746  feet  square,  the  Aztec  temple  of 
Mexico  is  680  feet  square,  while  Monk's  mound  is  1080  feet  by  780  feet 
and  104  feet  high  making  about  84,000,000  cubic  feet  of  earth. 

This  mound  has  never  been  touched  with  pick  or  shovel,  although 
great  quantities  of  archaeological  material  have  been  removed  from 
many  of  the  surrounding  smaller  mounds  and  cultivated  fields,  and 
many  fine  collections  are  to  be  found  in  both  private  and  public  places, 
taken  from  this  most  ancient  residence  site  of  a  vanquished  race. 

The  variety  and  nature  of  material  formed  around  the  great  Caho- 
kia group  clearly  indicate  that  the  mound  builders  or  their  successors 
had  access  to  or  traded  with  other  tribes  or  people  located  at  the 
headquarters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Rivers,  also  on  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  and  possibly  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Oceans,  as 
evidenced  by  the  vast  quantities  and  nature  of  the  material,  from 
which  such  large  varities  of  implements  and  ornaments  were  constructed. 
For  as  workmen  are  known  by  their  chips  so  here  may  also  be  found  the 
evidence  of  past  ages  wrought  in  such  material  as  flint,  j  asper,  pipe  stone, 
granite,  agate,  galena,  obsidian,  hematite,  copper,  quartz,  crystal, 
deep  sea  conch  shells  and  much  other  material  foreign  to  this  section  of 
the  state. 

The  surrounding  cultivated  fields  are  strewn  with  pottery  frag- 
ments mingled  with  which  may  be  found  many  human  bones  and  imple- 
ments of  the  stone  age.  Here  after  the  heavy  spring  rains  are  over  may 
be  plowed  up  many  characteristic  specimens.  Surely  in  ages  past 
what  a  mecca  this  location  must  have  been! 

Regarding  the  shape  and  size  of  the  great  Cahokia  mound  group 
it  may  be  said  that  all  types  except  the  effigy  are  represented  here  the 
form  of  the  largest  mound  is  a  parallelogram,  with  straight  sides,  the 
longer  of  which  are  north  and  south.  On  the  southern  end  thirty  feet 
above  the  base  is  a  terrace  or  apex,  containing  two  acres  of  ground. 
On  the  western  side  some  thirty  feet  above  the  first  terrace  is  a  second 
of  some  what  less  extent.  The  top  of  the  mound  is  flat,  containing 

1 


about  one  acre  and  a  half,  and  is  divided  into  two  parts  the  northern 
portion  of  which  is  some  four  or  five  feet  higher  than  the  southern  por- 
tion. 

Near  the  middle  of  the  first  terrace,  at  the  base  of  the  mound  is  a 
projecting  point  apparently  the  remains  of  a  graded  path wa37  ascending 
from  the  plain  to  the  terrace.  Monk's  mound  stands  true  to  the 
exact  points  of  the  compass. 

There  are  several  conical  shaped  mounds  of  about  forty  feet  in 
height,  together  with  a  large  number  of  rectangular  shape  flat  top 
mounds  ranging  in  size  from  20  to  30  feet  in  height  and  some  of  smaller 
size  sufficient  to  conveniently  accommodate  a  good  sized  farmhouse  and 
out  buildings.  One  noticeable  exception  of  this  mound  group  lies  just 
south  of  the  great  mound  the  same  being  of  conical  shape  except  that  there 
are  nine  radiating  ridges  extending  outward  at  equal  distances  from 
the  flattened,  top.  This  mound  is  about  fifty  feet  high  with  a  ISO  foot 
base,  the  radiating  ridges  extending  outward  about  ten  feet  each,  just 
what  these  radiating  ridges  symbolize  no  one  knows,  possibly  the  radi- 
ating lines  of  the  sun,  or  the  ridges  may  represent  the  sacred  conch 
shells  found  buried  here  in  great  numbers. 

Monk's  mound  derived  this  name  from  the  fact  that  from  1804  to 
1809  a  colony  of  Monks  of  the  order  of  La  Trappe  occupied  the  locality 
as  missionaries  among  the  Cahoki  a  Indians.  These  monks  devoted  them- 
selves to  silence  and  seclusion  and  ate  a  strictly  vegetable  diet.  They 
soon  succumbed  to  the  malarial  influences  existing  at  that  time,  many 
died  and  those  remaining  returned  whence  they  came,  the  last  of  them 
leaving  in  March,  1813. 

The  name  Cahokia  given  the  group  of  mounds  is  derived  from  a 
tribe  of  Indians  met  by  LaSalle  in  that  vicinity,  during  his  visit  there 
in  December,  1681.  Growing  upon  Monk's  mound  may  be  seen  a  pear 
orchard,  set  out  by  the  Monks,  many  of  these  trees  are  yet  vigorous 
and  bear  fruit  in  season.  Besides  these  fruit  trees,  there  are  many 
fine  forest  trees,  some  of  which  have  reached  a  very  large  size;  all  of 
which  tends  to  make  this  large  mound  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
sights  in  spring,  summer  and  autumn. 

Only  a  short  distance  to  the  north  of  Monk's  mound  flows  Cahokia 
Creek,  its  heavily  wooded  tract  of  timber  giving  here  a  rare  chance 
to  the  Archaeologist  and  land-scape  artist  to  help  some  one  of  the 
greatest  movements  of  pre-historic  man  to  be  found  in  the  United  States 
today.  Ohio  has  long  since  made  safe  her  serpent  mound,  together 
with  many  lesser  ones  by  proper  legislative  acts,  other  states  and 
counties  have  protected  pre-historic  works  of  much  less  importance, 
Why  then  should  the  great  State  of  Illinois  not  preserve  our  Cahokia 
group?  During  the  last  legislative  session  at  Springfield,  Cahokia 
mound  park  bills  were  introduced  in  both  houses  and  are  now  known  as 
House  Bill  No.  176  Flagg.andSenateBill  No.  276  Beall,  on  June  7, 1913. 
The  matter  was  refered  to  the  Illinois  State  Park  Commission  to  in- 
vestigate the  desirability  of  the  state  acquiring  the  Cahokia  mound 
and  report  to  the  forty-ninth  General  Assembly  not  later  than  Feb.  1, 
1915. 

The  names  and  addresses  of  the  members  of  the  Illinois  State 
Board  of  Park  Commissioners  are  as  follows:  Alexander  Richards, 

2 


Plate  No.  2 

1.  Large  arrow  point  or  small  flint  hoe,  length  3  inch 

2.  Sections  of  human  skull 

3.  Outer  shell  of  sacred  conch  shell 

4.  Perfect  shape  hammer  stone,  granite 

5.  Pottery  ear  from  vessel 

6.  Potsherd,  incised  design,  color  black 

7.  Pottery,  ducks  head 

8.  Pottery,  engraved  design 

9.  Potsherd,  reed,  marked  design,  color  red 

11.  "  yellow 

12.  raised  "        black 

13.  reed  "        red 

14.  brown 

1 5.  grass 

16.  incised     "  "        black 

17.  raised  "        brown 

1 9.  grass  yellow 

20.  Inner  spiral  of  sacred  conch  shell 

21.  Potsherd,  grass,  marked  design,  color  brown 

22.  Fragment  of  polished  discoidal  stone 

23.  Perfect    barbed    arrow    point  1    inch  long,    semi-circular  row 
around  No.  23,  show  characteristic  Cahokia  arrow  points 

24.  Copper  ornament 

25.  Pipestone 

26.  Agate 

27.  Gavel  sand  stone  polisher 

28.  Quartz  crystal 

30.  Pieces  of  human  arm  bone 

31.  Incomplete  flint  artifacts 


* .  ; 


West  Twin  Grove  Camp  Site 

Plate  No.  4. 

1.  Gamestone  2^  (problematical)  gray  granite 

2.  Scraper,  pink  flint 

3.  Knife  4  inches  long,  yellow  flint,  (between  30  and  4) 

4.  Bird  arrow  point,  %  inches  long,  white  flint 

5.  Double  notched  arrow,  curved  body,  white  flint 

6.  Notch  of  arrow,  flat  on  one  side 

7.  Scraper — mottled  blue  and  white  flint 

8.  Barbed  arrow,  to  remain  in  wound 

9.  Non-barbed  arrow,  to  be  withdrawn  from  wound 

10.  Common  chert  arrows 

11.  Red  flint  arrow 

12.  Heavy  chert  arrow 

13.  Blue  flint   arrow 

14.  Rare  ceremonial  stone,  brown  flint 

15.  Drill,  white  flint 

17.  Blunt  arrow,  white  flint 

18.  Drill,  white  flint 

1 9.  Half  completed  leaf  arrow,  white  flint 

20.  Finely  finished  spear  point,  pink  flint 

22.  Common  arrow 

23.  Perfect  shape  leaf  arrow,  blue  flint 

24.  Fragment  of  pottery,  porphyry  tempered 

25.  First  piece  of  arrow  found  on    camp-site 

26.  Drill,  white  flint 

27.  %  completed  leaf  shape  arrow,  white  flint 

28.  Perfect  hafted  scarper,  white  flint 

29.  Wide  base  arrow,  white  flint 

30.  Perfect  knife,  mottled  flint,  red,  white  and  blue 

31.  Perfect  double  bevel  arrow,  white   flint 


Ottawa,  111.  T.  A.  James,  Evanston,  111.  and  Thomas  Cahill,  Loda  111. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Ramey  Family,  the  writer  and  party 
were  given  much  valuable  data  and  information  pertaining  to  the  early 
history  of  this  historic  spot,  therefore  honorary  mention  is  herewith 
given  to  the  sturdy  and  honest  pioneer,  the  late  T.  T.  Ramey,  who 
was  one  of  the  few  successful  49er's.  Returning  east  again,  he  invested 
his  hard  earned  gold  in  the  rich  alluvial  "American  bottom"  lands  of 
Madison  County  and  upon  which  now  stands  the  great  Cahokia 
mound,  together  with  twenty  others  of  lesser  magnitude.  He  was  a 
close  student  of  both  God  and  man.  He  soon  conceived  the  idea  that 
the  large  mound  should  never  be  disturbed  and  if  possible  become  the 
property  of  the  state.  Thus  he  kept  in  tact  this  great  earthwork 
during  his  lifetime  and  it  is  with  the  same  spirit  that  his  children  do 
likewise. 

May  we  not  hope  that  the  State  of  Illinois  shall  in  due  time  make 
this  great  mound  group  a  state  preserve  and  keep  intact  the  great  Cah- 
okia Mound  just  as  the  Ramey  family  have  done  for  many  years? 

The  party  making  the  Cahokia  trip  was  composed  of  Milo  Custer, 
G.  Blumke,  Mark  Piper,  S.  W.  LeNeve,  Herbert  Cox  and  the  writer. 

Charles  M.  Robinson. 


Aboriginal  Flint  Implement   Work  Shop  or  Camp 

Site. 

Located  on  Section  33,  Dry  Grove  Township,  McLean  County,  Illinois 
By  Richard  Thomas  Robinson,  Normal,  Illinois 

May  8,  1912,  at  this  place,  my  father  found  the  barbed  shank  of 
a  flint  arrow  head.  Around  this  broken  part  of  an  arrow  head  were 
several  flint  chips.  This  led  to  a  closer  examination, 
which  resulted  in  the  finding  of  about  three  dozen  pieces 
a  flint  core,  and  several  arrow  heads,  some  finished  and  several 
about  half  complete.  Many  trips  have  been  made  to  this  old  camp 
site  in  the  past  two  years  and  all  the  pieces,  or  parts  of  arrow  heads 
as  well  as  chips  have  been  carefully  preserved.  On  none  of  our  trips 
have  we  come  home  empty  handed.  Even  some  pottery  fragments 
have  been  found.  These,  like  all  the  other  material  are  apparently 
quite  ancient.  This  camp  is  near  the  old  Indian  trail,  which  use  to 
run  between  Bloomington  and  Peoria,  where  was  then  located  old 
Fort  Clark. 

Mr.  George  Washington  Henry  the  oldest  resident  of  the  grove 
remembers  when  he  was  a  boy  of  eight,  the  Indians  camping  on  this 
trail.  He  has  told  us  many  interesting  stories  about  the  Indians, 
and  wild  game  which  roamed  the  prairies  in  those  days.  He  has 
gone  on  walks  with  us  to  the  places  of  interest,  and  told  us  what 
was  there  eighty  years  ago. 

Among  the  things  that  have  been  found  at  this  camp  site  are  name- 
ly: a  double  beveled  arrow  head,  of  which  the  government  reports 

3 


show  only  one  in  3,000  are  found,  one  curved  arrow  head,  one 
leaf  shaped,  one  of  the,  same  kind  incomplete,  and  many  barbed 
arrow  heads  of  different  sizes,  of  which  many  are  incomplete.  Sev- 
eral scrapers,  some  ceremonial  stones,  a  flint  drill,  and  saw,  sev- 
eral small  bird  points,  and  one  larg-e  spear  point,  incomplete. 
Two  ver}1  fine  skinning  knives,  one  problematic  stone,  shaped  round 
like  a  hammer  stone,  but  flat  on  two  sides. 

We  have  excavated  at  this  place  to  a  depth  of  about  two  feet  but  in 
our  excavations  found  nothing'  of  any  great  value.  In  all  we  have 
secured  several  hundred  fine  specimens. 

There  are  probably  a  great  many  more  interesting  things  to  be 
found  here  and  we  feel  very  grateful  to  Mr.  Kaufman  for  granting  us  the 
privilege  of  searching  for  the  remains  of  those  who  lived  many  years 
before  us. 

JI  Trip  to  Petersburg,  III  and  Kingfisher's  Hill 

By  Jttark  Piper,  Bloomington,  Illinois 

One  of  our  most  interesting  trips  was  taken  on  May  18th,  1913  to 
Petersburg  and  Kingfisher  Hill  in  an  auto  owned  by  T.  R.  Good. 
The  party,  S.  W.  LeNeve,  Gus.  Blumke,  Chas.  Robinson  and  my- 
self met  at  the  Court  House  in  Bloomington,  111,  where  Mr.  Good  met 
us  at  5  a.  m.  with  his  machine.  At  about  10  a.  m.  we  arrived  at 
Bonnett  brothers  on  whose  farm  we  were  to  look  for  relics.  We  then 
made  our  way  to  the  tops  of  some  hills  where  there  were  indica- 
tions ot  Indian  graves.  There  I  for  once  was  the  lucky  one  and  found 
part  of  a  skeleton,  while  Mr.  Good  afterward  found  three  more. 
Owing  to  the  pecular  nature  of  the  soil  they  were  exceedingly  well 
preserved,  there  did  not  appear  to  be  any  system  of  burial  as  the 
bones  and  skulls  seemed  to  be  in  a  heap.  Some  of  the  bones  showed 
tooth  marks  as  though  some  wild  animal  had  gnawed  them.  One 
peculiar  thing  about  their  graves  was  that  they  were  on  the  very  top 
of  the  highest  hills,  except  some  which  were  on  the  side  near  the  top. 
Nothing  was  found  in  the  graves  with  the  bones.  Besides  the  skele- 
ton we  also  found  arrow  heads,  buffalo  teeth  and  other  relics. 

Our  next  trip  to  the  Bonnett  farm  was  taken  June  23.  The  party 
this  time  consisted  of  Charles  H.  Robinson,  Gus.  Blumke,  Mr.  Rob- 
inson's son  and  myself.  We  met  at  the  Union  Depot  in  the  wee 
small  hours  of  the  night  and  took  a  train  at  about  one  o'clock  for 
Petersburg  where  we  had  previously  made  arrangements  for  a  team 
to  meet  us  and  take  us  to  the  Bonnett  farm. 

After  breakfast  Mr.  Bonnett  supplied  us  each  with  an  old  coat 
which  would  help  to  keep  out  the  rain.  We  then  took  spades  and 
started  out.  We  crossed  creeks  and  ponds  as  though  they  were  dry 
and  after  digging  on  numerous  hills  without  success  we  came 
back  to  dinner  and  more  coffee.  After  dinner  we  had  better  success 
for  we  found  some  graves  and  also  a  camp  site  located  on  the  banks 
of  Cleary's  Creek  in  which  a  great  number  of  shells  lay  exposed, 
also  quite  a  quantity  of  broken  pottery  of  a  special  stamped  and 
rouletted  design.  Pottery  similar  to  this  has  been  found  at  Naples 
111.,  and  is  described  in  government  literature.  We  also  found  frag- 
ments of  bone  and  flint  articles  but  as  that  was  in  a  field  of  grow- 
ing wheat  we  could  not  excavate. 

4 


Cut  furnished  by  Wm.  B.  Brigham 


(Cuts  one-half  size.) 

The  six  arrow  heads  of  the  upper  row  show  a  variety  of  shapes 
with  a  marked  difference  in  the  notches  and  base. 

The  long  spear-heads  was  found  in  the  Bloomington  cemetery 
by  J.  W.  Moran.  This  is  a  beautiful  pink  flint. 

The  specimen  below  in  the  center  is  no  doubt  a  knife.  The 
spear  head  on  either  side  show  a  notched  and  a  stem-base. 

Below  is  a  notched  scraper,  and  a  drill.  The  two  small  game 
points  are  from  the  Cahokia  mounds,  Madison  County.  (This  kind 
is  characteristic  of  that  region.) 


Indian  Collection 

By  W.  B.  Brigham,  Assistant  County  Supt.  of  Schools. 

One  day  many  years  ago  while  working  in  the  field,  my  father  picked 
up  an  Indian  arrow-head.  He  gave  it  to  me  as  a  play-thing  and  it 
was  much  enjoyed  tho  soon  lost;  leaving  me  with  a  sad  heart  but  a 
deep  longing  to  find  others.  Twenty  years  later  after  I  had  roamed  o'er 
the  prairies  and  worked  in  the  fields  less  than  six  arrow  points  were 
garnered  and  some  of  these  were  obtained  from  schoolmates.  Yet 
my  fascination  for  these  relics  has  increased  as  we  have  learned  more 
of  the  habits  and  haunts  of  the  Indians,  their  different  implements  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  were  made. 

The  Indian  hunters  and  warriors  would  often  lose  arrows  while  on 
the  prairies,  but  we  find  them  in  greater  numbers  with  other  stone  im- 
plements in  some  of  the  old  village  or  camp-sites.  These  were  gener- 
ally on  elevated  ground  in  or  near  the  woods  and  along  the  streams. 
The  close  observer  will  find  little  difficulty  in  locating  these  places  by 
the  presence  of  granite  spalls  and  flint  flakes  which  are  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  pebbles  of  the  glacial  drift.  This  camp  debris  is 
sometimes  covered  by  the  alluvial  from  the  uplands  and  is  no  longer  to 
be  found  on  the  surface  but  is  often  revealed  by  diggings  or  by  a  wash- 
out. 

Some  years  ago,  Mr.  Milo  Custer  located  a  camp-site  in  section  six- 
teen Bloomington  Township  and  made  a  good  find.  I  took  up  his  trail 
and  frequently  visited  the  field  being  always  rewarded  by  finding 
something  of  interest,  including  arrow  and  spear  heads,  knives,  scrap- 
ers, drills  and  human  teeth.  No  large  implements  were  found  there  by 
me.  This  site  was  located  on  the  south  slope  of  a  hill  running  down  to 
what  had  been  a  pond  in  early  days,  the  water  probably  standing 
there  several  feet  deep  throughout  the  year. 

These  sites  disclose  some  very  interesting  facts  and  furnish  much 
food  for  speculation.  The  great  variety  of  "finds"  not  only  recalls 
many  phases  of  the  primitive  life  of  the  Indians  but  also  shows  that 
the  "ancient  arrow-maker"  possessed  patience  and  skill  of  the  highest 
degree. 

It  is  all  the  more  wonderful  when  we  consider  that  these  results 
were  obtained  with  such  crude  tools,  and  again  that  no  artists  of  mod- 
ern civilization  can  attain  the  technic  or  reproduce  the  work  of  these 
children  of  savagery. 

In  the  accompanying  illustration  are  some  typical  small  flint  or  chert 
implements  found  in  McLean  County. 

NOTE In  1899,  I  farmed  the  twenty  acre  tract  in  Sec.  16,  Bloom- 
ington Township,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Brigham  and  during  the  spring 
and  summer  of  that  year  at  the  camp-site  he  also  mentions  I  found 
about  130  arrowheads,  one  long  granite  celt,  two  granite  discoidal 
hammer-stones,  two  broken  perforated  sand-stone  tablets  and  and  sev- 
eral potsherds,  This  material  I  donated  to  the  McLean  County  His- 
torical Society.  It  was  all  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  June  19,  1900. 

MILO  CUSTER 


Prehistoric  Mounds  of  Woodford  (ounty,  Illinois 

By  Stanley  M.  East. 

Acting  upon  information  furnished  Mr.  Custer  by  Mr.  L.  J.  Freese, 
president  of  the  Woodford  County  Historical  Society.  A  number  of 
members  of  our  club  made  a  trip  on  July  6th  of  last  year  to  Spring 
Bay,  111.,  to  investigate  some  mounds  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  W.  J.  Eichorn. 
We  were  courteously  granted  permission  by  Mr.  Eichorn  to  thoroughly 
investigate  one  of  the  smaller  mounds.  This  was  done  both  by  surface 
examination  and  by  making  a  six  foot  excavation  in  the  center.  Noth- 
ing however  was  found  except  a  few  glacial  boulders  in  a  natural  de- 
posite  about  five  feet  beneath  the  mound  surface  and  there  were  no 
evidences  of  prehistoric  human  remains  to  be  seen.  This  mound  has 
a  height  of  about  six  feet  and  a  diameter  of  approximately  one  hundred 
feet.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  it  was  under  cultivation  no  further  exca- 
vation could  be  made  without  injury  to  the  corn  and  indeed  no  further 
excavations  appeared  profitable. 

On  this  same  field  and  at  a  distance  of  perhaps  one  thousand  feet  is 
a  beautiful  conical  shaped  mound  about  twenty-five  feet  in  height  and 
with  a  base  diameter  of  about  seventy-five  feet.  This  mound  is  covered 
with  small  trees  and  shrubs  and  makes  a  novel  and  pleasing  appear- 
ance rising  as  it  does  in  the  cultivated  field  (see  cut.)  We  have  since 
been  given  permission  to  excavate  in  this  one  and  it  is  our  intention  to 
do  so  at  an  early  date. 

The  members  making  this  trip  were  Messrs.  Milo  Custer,  Gus 
Blumke,  C.  H.  Robinson,  Mark  Piper,  Homer  Haworth,  Ed  Swann, 
Thomas  Robinson  and  the  writer. 


Prehistoric  Indian  Relics  Found  In  The  Vicinity  Of 
"Cahokia  Mound." 

By  Gus  Bluemke 

April  20,1913,  a  party  of  archaeologists  fromBloomington  and  Nor- 
mal 111.  visited  "Cahokia"  or  "Monk's  Mound"  in  search  of  relics. 
The  weather  was  ideal  and  all  who  availed  themselves  of  the  opportun- 
ity were  indeed  well  repaid  in  the  success  of  the  trip  and  also  for  the 
enjoyment  and  recreation  which  these  journeys  afford. 

Our  party  was  composed  of  the  following:  Mark  Piper,  C.  H.  Robinson 
T.  J.  Robinson,  S.  W.  LeNeve,  Miss  Minerva  LeNeve,  Herman  Cox 
and  Milo  Custer.  A  second  trip  was  made  October  12,  1913,  and  on  this 
occasion  the  following  members  visited  ''Cahokia":  C.  H.  Robinson, 
Homer  Haworth,  Mark  Piper,  R.  T.  Robinson,  Wm.  Brigham,  Stanley 
East,  S.  W.  LeNeve  and  the  writer. 

Several  good  specimens  of  arrow-heads  were  found,  one  particu- 
larly rare  specimen  was  found  by  the  writer  which  is  shown  in  the  cut 
furnished  b3'  me.  This  point  has  six  notches  on  each  edge,  each  of 
which  are  one-eight  of  an  inch  in  depth.  The  length  of  this  point 
from  tip  to  base  is  one  an  one-quarter  inches.  There  is  also  shown  in 
the  same  cut  a  very  small  arrow  point  one-half  inch  in  length,  and 

6 


Cut  furnished  by  Stanley  M.  East  and  Homer  Haworth 


( 1 )  Mound     on    farm    of   W.   J.   Eichorn    near    Spring  Bay, 
Woodford,  County,  Illinois. 

(2)  Members  of  the  Kickapoo    Club  at    Spring  Bay,  Illinois, 
July  6,  1913. 


of  pink  colored  flint.  This  is  a  very  good  specimen  of  such  a  small 
sized  arrow  point.  There  are  shown  herewith  several  other  types  of 
arrow  points  of  different  sizes. 

It  is  a  notable  fact  that  pratically  all  arrow  points  found  in  this 
locality  are  small,  ranging  from  three-quarters  of  an  inch  to  an  inch 
and  one-half  in  length.  The  cut  shows  several  other  relics,  all  of 
which  were  found  near  "Cahokia. "  The  surface  of  the  adjoining 
fields  are  literally  covered  with  fragments  of  ancient  pottery.  Judg- 
ing from  the  fancy  rims  and  handles  and  the  engravings  on  these  frag- 
ments it  isevident  that  the  mound  builders  were  very  adept  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  this  kind  of  pottery.  The  cut  shows  two  specimens  of  bro- 
ken pottery  and  the  particular  surface  markings  on  the  same.  There 
is  also  an  imitation  of  a  birds  head  made  of  the  same  material.  This 
was  probably  an  ornament  or  handle  for  some  vessel.  This  pottery 
was  evidently  colored  in  some  manner  as  some  of  the  fragments  are 
bright  red  in  color  and  others  are  jet  black  or  brown.  Many  pieces 
were  highly  polished.  There  is  also  shown  in  the  cut  a  conch  core  or 
sea  shell  with  reversed  whorls.  This  one  is  six  inches  long  and  of 
these  there  seem  to  be  a  great  number  found  in  this  locality  and  found 
in  such  a  position  and  under  such  circumstances  as  to  leave  hardly  a 
doubt  in  the  mind  that  they  were  held  sacred  by  the  mound  builders 
and  used  in  their  religious  ceremonies. 

A  brass  signet  ring  was  also  found  which  is  evidently  traders 
material  and  may  possibly  have  been  brough  there  by  the  "monks."  This 
ring  has  a  pecular  emblem  on  the  flat  circular  surface  which  looks  like 
a  right  angle  with  a  character  in  the  center  shaped  like  a  heart.  The 
circular  surface  of  the  seal  or  signet  is  five-sixteenths  of  an  inch  in 
diameter  and  the  size  of  the  ring  is  three-quarter  inch. 

There  is  also  shown  a  blue  glass  bead.  Several  beads  of  different 
material  have  been  found  here  but  the  most  rare  is  one  shown  in  thecut, 
made  of  shell,  circular  in  form,  one  inch  in  diameter  and  three-sixteen- 
ths of  an  inch  in  thickness,  with  a  three-  sixteenths  inch  hole  through 
the  center.  This  specimen  is  of  the  kind  commonly  known  as  wampum 
and  was  used  by  the  Indians  as  money.  There  is  also  shown  in  the  cut 
a  bear's  claw  of  which  several  were  found  by  members  of  our  party. 

The  largest  specimen  shown  in  the  center  of  the  cut  is  a  chert  hoe 
or  cultivating  implement  found  by  the  writer.  This  specimen  is  seven 
and  one  half  inches  long  and  tapers  from  two  to  four  and  three. quar- 
ters inches  in  width.  It  was  discovered  about  eighteen  inches  below 
the  surface  in  the  field  north-east  of  the  great  "Cahokia  mound."  The 
accompanying  cut  shows  the  location  of  this  find  and  a  good  view 
of  the  surroundings. 


A    Visit  to  Hopiland. 

Bg  Miss   Edith  M.   Cox  and  Herbert   Cox. 

At  sunset  on  the  first  of  August,  1913,  we  were  at  last  ready  to 
leave  Holbrook,  Arizona  for  Hopiland — almost  a  hundred  miles  north- 
ward from  this  pointon  the  Santa  Fe.  The  Indians — never  in  a  hurry — 
had  taken  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  loading  the  three  white  covered 
wagons. 

Our  party  included  four  Hopis,  one  Navajo,  a  white  man  employed 
by  the  government  and  three  white  women.  My  friend  Miss  Nelson  a 
missionary  among  these  Hopis,  was  returning  to  her  work  and  I  was 
going  to  visit  her.  The  third  woman  was  a  new  worker.  Steve,  a 
splendid  Christian  Hopi  and  his  twelve  year  old  David,  had  come  for 
Miss  Nelson  and  her  friends. 

Across  the  desert  we  traveled  until  we  were  at  an  elevation  of  some 
seven  thousand  feet.  The  vastness  of  the  desert,  the  scant  and  varying 
vegetation,  the  Painted  Desert,  the  great  buttes  which  deceived  us  by 
their  apparent  nearness,  the  scattered  dwellings  of  the  Navajo  Indians, 
the  exhilaration  which  came  from  sleeping  in  the  open,  the  call  of  the 
distant  coyote  or  the  prairie  dogs,  the  camp  fire  built  of  anything 
available — all  these  made  wonderful  impressions  on  one  accustomed  to 
limited  horizons. 

No  more  primitive  nor  interesting  Indians  are  to  be  found  in  North 
America  today  than  these  Hopis  removed  from  the  traveled 
highways  of  men.  They  were  discovered  by  Coronado  in  1540.  Priests 
came,  but  were  driven  out  by  the  Hopis.  A  few  years  later  these 
Indians  moved  on  top  of  three  mesas.  These  appear  as  huge  prows  of 
ships  projecting  into  the  great  desert.  To  protect  themselves  the 
Indians  built  their  houses  in  terrace  fashion  of  such  material  that  one 
on  the  desert  can  with  difficulty  see  them. 

The  Hopi  is  industrious.  Walled  in  gardens,  fields  of  corn  on  the 
plain  and  flocks  of  sheep  show  his  agricultural  interests.  Weaving  is 
done  by  the  men  in  winter.  They  make  all  the  clothing.  The  women 
build  and  own  the  houses.  All  water  is  carried  in  jars  on  the  backs  of 
women  up  the  narrow  mesa  trail.  Beautiful  red  and  light  colored 
pottery  is  made  on  First  Mesa  while  baskets  are  made  by  the  women  of 
Second  Mesa.  The  foundation  of  these  baskets  is  grass  covered  with 
yucca  fibers  bleached  in  the  sun  or  colored  with  juices  from  plants. 
If  the  public  realized  the  value  of  these  baskets  so  that  it  would  de- 
mand them  these  Indians  would  not  be  so  poor. 

The  Hopi  has  no  written  language.  Some  two  thousand  words 
constitute  his  vocabulary.  The  older  people  use  the  sign  language 
very  much. 

The  Hopi  marriage  is  little  more  than  a  washing  of  the  heads  of 
each  party  in  seperate  bowls,  then  in  one  bowl.  One  may  marry  an- 
other if  he  is  absent.  Divorce  is  easily  obtained  by  putting  a  man's 
saddle  outside  the  door.  If  he  puts  wood  outside  her  door  and  it  is 
taken  in  he  may  enter  again. 

Children  not  old  enough  to  belong  to  the  Tribe  are  buried  in 
crevices  of  the  rocks .  The  place  of  burial  indicated  by  a  stick.  It  is 
not  uncommon  to  see  eight  or  nine  sticks  in  one  place.  The  older  ones 

8 


(Cut  furnished  by  Gus  Bluemke.) 


are  buried  in  a  sitting  posture  in  the  ground.  The  third  or  fourth 
morning  after  burial  they  believe  the  spirit  partakes  of  meal  and  water; 
then  by  means  of  a  feather  pointing  west  it  goes  to  its  spirit  home  in 
the  Grand  Canyon. 

They  have  many  ceremonies  and  rites.  Some  two  hundred  spirits 
are  worshipped.  These  are  represented  by  masked  men,  dolls  and 
placs. 

The  desire  for  rain  has  an  important  part  in  many  ceremonies. 
This  is  true  of  the  famous  Hopi  Snake  Dance.  This  attracted  much  at- 
tention last  year  because  attended  by  Mr.  Roosevelt.  Some  fifty 
machines,  mostly  Fords,  made  the  desert  trip.  The  Hopis  believe  a 
great  smoke  in  the  earth  controls  the  rain.  A  great  many  rattle  and 
bull  snakes  are  gathered  and  cared  for  in  the  underground  ''kivas"  or 
caves.  At  sunset  on  the  ninth  day  of  the  ceremony  the  snake  men  come 
from  the  kivas.  They  dance  with  the  snake  in  the  mouth  until  all  have 
been  thus  treated.  A  priest  frees  them  in  the  rocks  and  prays  that  the 
parent  snake  may  give  the  Hopis  rain. 

Our  government  maintains  a  school  for  children  of  each  mesa  and 
one  more  advanced  at  government  headquarters.  Those  desiring  to  go 
further  are  sent  to  Indian  schools.  Some  of  these  Hopis  are  known  as 
unfriendlies — hostile  to  the  government.  Until  last  year  soldiers  had 
to  be  sent  to  get  their  children  whom  the  parents  refused  to  send. 

Besides  the  missionaries  who  are  doing  much  the  government  has 
its  agent,  farmer,  windmill  man,  doctors,  teachers  and  matrons. 

On  my  return  to  the  railroad  we  were  delayed  because  of  heavy 
rains.  What  was  a  small  stream  in  August  was  in  September  a  river 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  wide  when  we  first  saw  it.  In  the  bed  of  this 
stream  our  wagon  was  stuck.  The  chief  of  the  Navajo  Tribe  helped  us 
take  it  to  pieces  and  so  get  it  out  of  the  mud  in  the  wash. 

Imagine  if  you  can  what  it  would  mean  to  hear  a  train  whistle 
after  six  weeks'  absence  from  civilization.  As  we  topped  the  rise  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  fourth  day  the  sight  of  that  brought  me  to  my  feet. 

How    I  gazed    at    it!     My    Indian   driver    said    "Miss pashalayi" 

(  "Miss you  are  very  happy.") 

Early  the  next  morning  three  of  us  said  good  bye.  My  Indian 
companion  with  his  hat  in  hand  and  my  father  and  I  said  more  in  those 
parting  handshakes  than  words  could  ever  tell.  A  few  minutes  later 
we  were  borne  westward  by  train  and  he  to  the  north  in  his  wagon. 


9 


Section  of  a  Hopi  Village,  Second  Mesa, 
Shipaulovi. 


KATAHOTAN. 

Old  Town. 
(To  The  Kickapoo  Club.) 

Behold  the  trail 

Where  many  moccasinned  feet  have  trod, 

And  many  white  mens  weary  steps 

Have  led  to  death  untimely,  or  to  long  captivity. 

Behold  the  village  site, 

Where  onee  the  Kickapoos 

In  pole-bark  houses  lived,  and  where 

Their  council-house 

Stood  from  the  others,  somewhat  larger, 

And  a  little  way  apart. 

Here  Pemoatam  and  Masheena  met 

To  choose  for  war  or  peace,  and  choosing  war, 

Set  forth  upon  that  dire  ill-fated  way 

That  led  to  Tippecanoe,  and  Tecumsebs  fall. 

Here  also  came 

Frenchman  and  Spaniard  in  the  early  days, 

Then  our  First  Settlers  in  the  later  times, 

To  counsel  with  their  distant  Indian  neighbors. 

Black  Robes  and  Couriers  des  Bois, 
Long  Knives  and  Rangers  intermingled. 
And  here  came  traders  from  the  far  Detroit, 
To  barter  white  mens  wares  for  Indian  peltries. 

Behold  where  once  the  Dance  Ground  was 
Where  many  soft-shod  feet  have  stepped 
To  rhythmic  beating  of  the  painted  drums, 
And  rattling  of  the  shaking,  stone-filled  gourds. 

And  here  the  head  men  lectured  and  exhorted  them 
To  follow  steadfast  in  their  fathers  ways, 
Which  they  had  practiced  ere  the  white  men  came, 
With  hands  against  the  whites  eternally. 

Behold  the  graves 
Of  many  Kickapoos  who  died 
Long  years  before  their  children 
Left  Illinois  and  journeyed  westward. 

And  here  the  stockade  fort 
Built  up  by  other  hands  than  theirs, 
Of  which  no  mark  nor  trace  remains 
Save  this  the  whites  erected. 


From  these  few  gleanings  of  the  early  years, 
From  these  few  broken  fragments  that  we  find, 
Canst  realize  and  picture  once  anew 
The  scenes  of  former  days  in  Katahotan? 

Canst  conjure  mental  vision  of  the  times 
When  priest  and  white  fur-trader  may  have  come 
To  preach  "salvation"  and  to  barter  wares 
With  savage  tribesmen  who  once  dwelt  herein? 

Canst  picture  Lee  and  Stark  or  old  MasheenaT 
Or  Pemoatam  whose  consistent  pride 
Forbade  him  live  beneath  the  Long  Knives  rule 
But  whom  afflictions  blow  could  not  withstand? 

Where  now  the  corn  and  grass  grows  rank, 
Where  now  the  white  mens  cattle  come  to  drink 
At  spring  or  stream  where  once  the  buffalo 
And  deer  and  Indian  pony  slaked  their  thirst  ? 

It  may  be  also  here  Kaanakuk 

Once  taught  his  people  of  those  better  ways 

So  well  remembered  yet,  but  which 

So  few  still  follow  faithfully. 

If  they  should  choose,  his  people  might  come  here 
To  see  where  once  their  forbears  lived. 
Where  some  who  once  found  humble  burial, 
And  other  hands  have  long  years  since  removed. 

I  fear  that  strange  tradition  which  they  hold 

That  'Some  day  we  shall  all  go  back 

To  Aneneewa  whence  our  people  came' 

Shall  never -novci'  be  fulfilled, 

Nor  moceasinned  feet  shall  tread  this  soil  again 

In  Times  unending  course  of  centuries. 

Lest  in  some  unknown  shadow-land,  perchance 
Within  that  place  they  call  Apamekka, 
Of  which  their  "Prophet"  taught  them- 
Celestial  Katahotan- 
Celestial  "Aneneewa" 

For  now  the  corn  and  grass  grows  rank 
And  now  the  white  mens  cattle  come  to  drink 
At  spring  and  stream  where  once  the  buffalo 
And  deer  and  Indian  pony  slaked  their  thirst, 

M.  C. 


